Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of fraud and corruption that led to his resignation last year. Olmert is accused of illegally accepting cash contributions from American businessman Moshe Talansky, double billing travel expenses to the state and charitable donors, and giving his former law partner Uri Messer access [...]

Myanmar's Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear an appeal by opposition pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi against the 18-month extension of her house arrest. The decision for the full court to hear her appeal came as the result of a preliminary hearing held Monday, after the court initially agreed to consider the appeal [...]

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on Monday charged former Khmer Rouge leader Ieng Thirith with genocide, torture, and persecution, adding to previous charges that include war crimes and murder. Ieng Thirith, the wife of ECCC defendant Ieng Sary , served as social affairs minister for the regime that allegedly caused the [...]

The US Senate agreed on Monday to close the debate on proposed health care reform legislation , making way for a vote expected Thursday. The agreement was reached by a narrow 60 to 40 vote, requiring every Democrat and Independent vote available. The proposed bill seeks to extend health insurance coverage and prohibit insurance companies [...]

JURIST Guest Columnist Roland Adjovi of Arcadia University in Arusha, Tanzania, says that to gain and maintain credibility in the wake of its first judgment, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights should streamline its policy rationale and procedure, thereby expediting its decision-making process…. On December 15, 2009, the African Court on Human and [...]

The US has transferred 12 more Guantanamo Bay detainees to their home governments, the Justice Department announced Sunday. Describing the transfers as having taken place "over the weekend", the Department indicated that four Afghan detainees, Abdul Hafiz, Sharifullah, Mohamed Rahim and Mohammed Hashim, were transferred to the Government of Afghanistan. In addition, two Somali detainees, [...]

The Iranian government announced Saturday that murder charges have been brought against prison officials in connection with the deaths of three detainees involved in protests that followed the June 12 presidential election . Twelve officials will face murder charges , with three facing the charge of premeditated murder for their role in the incidents. The [...]

While no legally binding agreement was reached at the conclusion of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark, 192 UN member countries agreed Saturday to “take note” of a non-binding Copenhagen Accord developed by leaders of the United States, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa aspiring to limit the global temperature rise to [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled Friday that post-arrest detention is legal in cases where the detainees are reasonably detained. The case, Turkmen v. Ashcroft , challenged the alleged racial profiling, arbitrary detention and abuse of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian men swept up after 9/11. This most recent ruling affirms [...]

A French judge on Friday placed former French president Jacques Chirac under preliminary investigation over allegations that he misused public funds while serving as mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995. Chirac is accused of financing the Rally for the Republic (RPR), now renamed as the Union for a Popular Movement , by illegally establishing [...]